Monthly Archives: February 2013

For some reason I’ve had this image in my head for a few years now. It involves Victorian mariners lost on a boat, stranded perhaps, not going to say where since this is just a teaser. I had to get it out of my head and on to film (so to speak), so I gathered props and wardrobe and brilliant actors and my favorite crew from around the city, and I finally shot the thing. Took five days of scouting just to find the location. My little 35mm f/2 lens literally fell apart after I found the location near dark on the fifth day.

It’s probably my favorite shoot ever. Look for it in the spring 2013 Workbook, out in less than a month. In the meantime, there’s a fragment of it on my website, and I offer you these fine behind-the-scenes shots from my friend, the great photographer Max Gerber:

Even sailors need a little touch-up now and then.

I swear I’m not posing. Didn’t even know Max was shooting.

Wayne “Animal” Lewis. We had to tie him to the boat.

Not sure what YOHA means.

Because every shoot needs a starlet: Rose McIver, the not-dead sister from “The Lovely Bones.”

Milo Cawthorne, another great New Zealand actor and the source of my best jokes.

Props table.

That one’s perfect. Let’s shoot 140 more.

The talent and crew went way beyond my dreams for this one. My heartfelt thanks to all of you:

If you can’t make it to the gallery show by March 16, here’s a complete overview of the images — all an exploration of Los Angeles. Feel free to email me for a catalog with prices.

Night Trees

Giant prints, around 32″ x 40″. Photographed entirely at night (not dusk, not the magic hour, but night), by streetlight, on 4″ x 5″ film. Exposures range from 4 minutes to an hour. An ongoing series.

Night Cars

Prints are 20″ x 20″. Like the trees, photographed entirely by streetlight at night (not sunset or twilight, but night). Exposures range from two to 40 minutes, all on medium-format film. An ongoing series.

Night Polaroid

Big 40″ x 32″ print. A Metro-rail overpass, photographed on expired Polaroid film with an ancient Polaroid 110A Land Camera. Part of my Night Polaroids series.

Aerials

Prints are 16″ x 16″ (with a panoramic at 32″ x 16″). Photographed by helicopter on September 29, 2012, during the 405-freeway closure of Carmageddon II. All on medium-format and panoramic film.

Green home

Prints are 17″ x 22″. An extremely eco-friendly home in the Hollywood hills, designed by architect Beth Holden and photographed originally for Angeleno Interiors magazine.

About 150 people turned out to see my Urban Archaeology exhibition last Saturday. It was a crazy evening topping off a crazy week, and I didn’t shoot a single photo of the opening. Got some crappy iPhone photos from my awesome brother, who had the presence of mind to think that someone should document this. That’s me, in the grey shirt in the middle, probably talking about the perils of shooting long exposures in residential neighborhoods at night (security guards, police, dog poo, rain).

Get out those credit cards, people.

Note for future shows: Place the cocktail bar inside the gallery rather than out back; it’s where everyone hangs out.

Thanks to the brilliant people at New Theme gallery for making it a success. Complete image catalog in the next blog post.